The invention relates to a method for actuating a starting device for an internal combustion engine.
The German patent application DE 10 2009 027 117 A1 discloses a starting device comprising an electromagnetic starter relay which has two separate axially successively arranged relay windings in one housing. The first relay winding performs the task of a pull-in winding and moves a stroke armature which is coupled via an engagement lever to a starter pinion of the starting device. When the pull-in winding is energized, the starter pinion is moved between a retracted inoperative position and an axially advanced engaged position in which the starter pinion engages with a toothed ring of the internal combustion engine. The second relay winding serves as a switching winding and is paired with a switching means via which the power circuit of an electric starter motor for driving the starter pinion is to be switched on or off. A switching armature is paired with the switching winding, said switching armature, when current is passed through the switch-on winding, pressing a contact plate against two opposing contacts for closing the power circuit of the starter motor.
The embodiment comprising two separate relay windings allows the decoupling of the pre-meshing movement of the starter pinion from the switching-on of the electric starter motor.